Milwaukee's first fully-enclosed shopping center opened -as the Dairy State's largest mall- in October 1967.
Graphic from Jacobs, Visconsi & Jacobs
The mall's quonset-style Kohl's Foods supermarket was in operation for 10 years. Following its late 1977 closure, its space was divided in half, with the northern portion becoming a Houlihan's Restaurant.
Drawing from Jacobs, Visconsi & Jacobs
The "Rain Fountain" stood on the north end of Center Court. Such water-less Wonderfall features were common in mid-to-late 1960s malls.
Photo from the L.L. Cook Company
In 1968, the shiny new shopping hub spanned approximately 1,064,900 leasable square feet on a single retail level. It contained fifty-seven stores and services under its roof.
BROOKFIELD SQUARE TENANTS 1968:
BOSTON STORE (with Garden Terrace Dining Room and freestanding Auto Center) / SEARS (with Coffee Shop and freestanding Auto Center) / J.C. PENNEY (with Beauty Salon, Coffee Shop and freestanding Auto Center) / T.A. CHAPMAN / KOHL'S FOODS / F.W. WOOLWORTH (with Woolworth's Restaurant) / WALGREEN DRUG (with luncheonette) / BROOKFIELD SQUARE CINEMA (single screen) / Allied Radio Shack / Atlantic City / Baker's Shoes / Baldwin Wurlitzer Organs & Pianos / Barricini Candy / Bresler's 33 Flavors Ice Cream / Brills Colony Men's & Boy's / Brookfield Federal Savings & Loan (outparcel) / Brookfield Music Center / Brookfield National Bank (outparcel) / Brookfield Square Barber Shop / Evenson's Gift Shop / Fanny Farmer Candies / Florsheim Shoes / Fountain of Flowers / Four Seasons Casuals / Harris, Upham & Company Stock Brokers / Hobby Horse / House of Fashion Beauty Salon / House of Nine ladies' wear / Johnny Walker Men's & Boy's / Julie Ann Fabrics / Kaiser Shoe Boat / Kinney Shoes / Lane Bryant / Marianne Shop ladies wear / Marshall Camera West / Mary Lester Fabrics / Memory Lane, Incorporated Cards & Gifts / Miles Shoes / Militzer Bakery / Nobil Shoes / Parklane Hosiery / Regal Shoes / Richman Brothers men's wear / Rose Jewelers / Shirley's Maternity Fashions / Singer Sewing Center / Spencer Gifts / Spic & Span Laundry / The Added Touch Fireplaces / The Grand ladies' wear / The Sidewalk Cafe / The Swiss Colony / Tie Rak / Travel Guide, Incorporated / Waldenbooks / Women's Wear
BROOKFIELD SQUARE TENANTS 1968:
BOSTON STORE (with Garden Terrace Dining Room and freestanding Auto Center) / SEARS (with Coffee Shop and freestanding Auto Center) / J.C. PENNEY (with Beauty Salon, Coffee Shop and freestanding Auto Center) / T.A. CHAPMAN / KOHL'S FOODS / F.W. WOOLWORTH (with Woolworth's Restaurant) / WALGREEN DRUG (with luncheonette) / BROOKFIELD SQUARE CINEMA (single screen) / Allied Radio Shack / Atlantic City / Baker's Shoes / Baldwin Wurlitzer Organs & Pianos / Barricini Candy / Bresler's 33 Flavors Ice Cream / Brills Colony Men's & Boy's / Brookfield Federal Savings & Loan (outparcel) / Brookfield Music Center / Brookfield National Bank (outparcel) / Brookfield Square Barber Shop / Evenson's Gift Shop / Fanny Farmer Candies / Florsheim Shoes / Fountain of Flowers / Four Seasons Casuals / Harris, Upham & Company Stock Brokers / Hobby Horse / House of Fashion Beauty Salon / House of Nine ladies' wear / Johnny Walker Men's & Boy's / Julie Ann Fabrics / Kaiser Shoe Boat / Kinney Shoes / Lane Bryant / Marianne Shop ladies wear / Marshall Camera West / Mary Lester Fabrics / Memory Lane, Incorporated Cards & Gifts / Miles Shoes / Militzer Bakery / Nobil Shoes / Parklane Hosiery / Regal Shoes / Richman Brothers men's wear / Rose Jewelers / Shirley's Maternity Fashions / Singer Sewing Center / Spencer Gifts / Spic & Span Laundry / The Added Touch Fireplaces / The Grand ladies' wear / The Sidewalk Cafe / The Swiss Colony / Tie Rak / Travel Guide, Incorporated / Waldenbooks / Women's Wear
Market Square
MARKET SQUARE, in suburban Lake Forest, was completed in April 1917. It was the nation's first planned retail complex designed to accommodate shoppers arriving by automobile.
Photo from http://www.lflbhistory.org / Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Historical Society
The original plan for the center, which was designed by Howard Van Doren Shaw. It was built for 750 thousand (1917) dollars and housed twenty-four stores, twelve offices and twenty-eight apartment units. There was approximately 64,000 square feet of retail space.
Original drawing from www.idaillinois.org / Illinois Digital Architecture
In May 1928, Marshall Field & Company opened its first suburban branch in Lake Forest. The store moved into this MARKET SQUARE building in March 1931. It was enlarged, taking in all of the first floor and basement, in August 1931. In May 1941, the second floor (formerly a YWCA) was also acquired. All operations of Marshall Field's were rebranded by Macy's in September 2006. This MARKET SQUARE store was shuttered in January 2008.
Photo from Wikipedia / "Slo-Mo"
Country Club Plaza
The first structure built for Kansas City, Missouri's COUNTRY CLUB PLAZA was completed in March 1923. The complex is one of the first car culture shopping centers in the nation.
Photo from State Historical Society of Missouri / J.C. Nichols Company Scrapbook
Click here for an in-depth COUNTRY CLUB PLAZA article...
http://shoppingmallmuseum.blogspot.com/search/label/Kansas%20City%27s%20Country%20Club%20Plaza
MARKET SQUARE, in suburban Lake Forest, was completed in April 1917. It was the nation's first planned retail complex designed to accommodate shoppers arriving by automobile.
Photo from http://www.lflbhistory.org / Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Historical Society
Original drawing from www.idaillinois.org / Illinois Digital Architecture
In May 1928, Marshall Field & Company opened its first suburban branch in Lake Forest. The store moved into this MARKET SQUARE building in March 1931. It was enlarged, taking in all of the first floor and basement, in August 1931. In May 1941, the second floor (formerly a YWCA) was also acquired. All operations of Marshall Field's were rebranded by Macy's in September 2006. This MARKET SQUARE store was shuttered in January 2008.
Photo from Wikipedia / "Slo-Mo"
Country Club Plaza
The first structure built for Kansas City, Missouri's COUNTRY CLUB PLAZA was completed in March 1923. The complex is one of the first car culture shopping centers in the nation.
Photo from State Historical Society of Missouri / J.C. Nichols Company Scrapbook
Click here for an in-depth COUNTRY CLUB PLAZA article...
http://shoppingmallmuseum.blogspot.com/search/label/Kansas%20City%27s%20Country%20Club%20Plaza
Photo from Wikipedia / "Sulphur"
By 1996, BROOKFIELD SQUARE had gone through several changes. The only expansion that had ever been done to the mall proper, a 26,000 square foot enlargement of the Boston Store, was completed in 1992. The loss of two junior anchors, in 1986 and 1994, provided room for several inline tenants and new Food Court.
Another major renovation of the mall got underway in 2004. As part of the project, the center's Main Entrance was rebuilt. An adjacent Barnes & Noble held its grand opening in the spring of 2005.
Photo from www.cblproperties.com / CBL & Associates Properties
Bravo! Cucina Italiana welcomed its first diners in the summer of 2005 and was joined by a Streetscape-style, restaurant row built along the center's east-facing front.
Photo from http://www.ci.brookfield.wi.us
The interior of BROOKFIELD SQUARE was also given a major makeover. Here we see its refurbished Food Court.
Photo from http://www.kainc.com / K A Architects
A circa-2010 plan includes four new Streetscape bistros; Mitchell's Fish Market, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Bravo! Cucina Italiana and Claim Jumper. In the periphery of the mall are Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Stir Crazy Fresh Asian Grill, Ethan Allen Design Center and Fresh Market. The mall, now 43 years old, is one of a select few who -after so many years in business- still haf all of its original anchor stores.
News of a too close for comfort lifestyle center project surfaced in mid-2011. Known as THE CORNERS OF BROOKFIELD, it was to snatch a Von Maur store that had been an eagerly-anticipated (prospective) addition to BROOKFIELD SQUARE.
Drawing from http://www.mlgcommercial.com / MLG Commercial
A keeping up with THE CORNERS renovation reworked the east facade of the Sears anchor store, adding more Streetscape-type retail and restaurants. The project, which increased the mall's gross leasable area by 19,000 square feet, was completed in late 2015.
Drawing from http://www.kainc.com / K A Architects
The 50-year-old BROOKFIELD SQUARE Sears went dark in March 2018. The building was knocked down, leaving its adjacent Streetscape section intact. It was worked into a new South Wing, which included 26,000 square feet of new retail, an 8-plex, dine-in cinema and entertainment and bowling center.
Drawing from www.cbl.com / CBL & Associates Properties
Drawing from Irgens Partners
BROOKFIELD SQUARE
West Bluemound Road / US 18 and South Moorland Road
Brookfield, Wisconsin
Planning for Greater Milwaukee's first interior mall got underway in 1963, under the auspices of Cleveland's Jacobs, Visconsi & Jacobs firm (the predecessor of today's Richard E. Jacobs Group). They acquired a 141-acre plot, located 9.3 miles west of center city Milwaukee, and hired three architectural firms to design the prospective facility; Cleveland's Peter S. Thomas & Associates, Chicago's Neil & Wennland, and the firm of Baxter, Hadnell, Donnely & Preston, of Cincinnati.
Ground was broken in June 1966. A single-level, fully-enclosed complex of fifty-seven stores and services was built. There were three anchors; a 2-level (189,400 square foot), Milwaukee-based Boston Store, 2-level (201,400 square foot) J.C. Penney and 2-level (224,100 square foot) Sears.
Governor Warren P. Knowles (R) officiated at the grand opening of the mall's first operational tenant, the Boston Store, on August 17, 1967. Thirty-three inline stores were dedicated on October 23rd. Sears followed, on October 25th. J.C. Penney was among the last stores to open, with its formal dedication taking place on January 18, 1968.
BROOKFIELD SQUARE, which encompassed over 1,000,000 leasable square feet, featured a 1-level (48,000 square foot), Milwaukee-based T.A. Chapman, 1-level (71,600 square foot) F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10 and inline stores such as Walgreen Drug, Bresler's 33 Flavors ice cream, House of Nine, Spencer Gifts and a Kohl's Foods supermarket. The General Cinema Corporation Brookfield Square Cinema showed its first feature on November 15, 1967.
Shopping concourses at BROOKFIELD SQUARE were landscaped with 100 thousand dollars worth of tropical plants and trees. The Boston Store Court, on the north end of the complex, featured an upper level terrace restaurant. The Penney's Court, at the center of the center, had a falling glycerine ("Wonderfall") fountain. On the south end of the mallway, a huge, impressionist sculpture was suspended over the Sears Court.
Commercial competitors of BROOKFIELD SQUARE included CAPITOL COURT (1956) {7.3 miles northeast, in Milwaukee}, MAYFAIR CENTER (1959) {3.6 miles northeast, in Wauwatosa} and SOUTHRIDGE MALL (1970) {7.5 miles southeast, in Greendale and Greenfield}.
The first physical expansion of BROOKFIELD SQUARE was completed in September 1992, when the Boston Store was enlarged into a 208,000 square foot operation. The closings of T.A. Chapman (1986), Brookfield Square Cinemas I & II (1989) and F.W. Woolworth (1994) provided spaces for several new inline stores. Woolworth's area was rebuilt into a 15-bay Food Court. Work on the project commenced in June 1995 and was completed in September 1996. At the same time, the mall's interior was given a face lift.
In January 2001, BROOKFIELD SQUARE was sold to Chattanooga-based CBL & Associates Properties. They announced a major renovation in 2003. In the plan, 248,000 square feet would be added in a new Southwest Wing. A 150,000 square foot, Davenport, Iowa-based Von Maur was mentioned as a possible anchor, with twenty-two inline stores, and a 3-level parking deck, included in the project. None of this came to fruition.
However, CBL did embark on a multi-phase remodeling in 2004. A 2-level (35,600 square foot) Barnes & Noble opened April 13, 2005. This was joined by Bravo! Cucina Italiana (in a portion of the old Chapman's spot) in June. Courts and concourses were refurbished and a new Main Entrance built. Moreover, the Food Court was redecorated, with a circular fireplace installed.
Five freestanding structures were built in the periphery of the mall. The first of these, a (22,500 square foot) The Fresh Market Gourmet Grocery, welcomed first shoppers in March 2007. Next came Mitchell's Fish Market and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, which opened in the spring of 2007. A Claim Jumper restaurant served its first meals in June of 2008 (it would eventually morph into Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant).
Two other stores were built in the northwest corner of the site. Stir Crazy Fresh Asian Grill and an Ethan Allen Design Center opened for business in September and December of 2008. The mall renovation was completed with the grand opening of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, in November 2010.
This was built in part of the old Kohl's Foods space and joined the mall's new east-facing Streetscape of upscale restaurants. The revitalized BROOKFIELD SQUARE now encompassed 1,135,400 leasable square feet and housed 113 stores and services.
News of a future competitor surfaced in May 2011, causing CBL & Associates to plan further renovations at BROOKFIELD SQUARE. A lifestyle center, known as THE CORNERS OF BROOKFIELD, was envisaged for a site located 2.5 miles west of the mall (the first phase of THE CORNERS project would open in April 2017).
Modifications at BROOKFIELD SQUARE would be completed in several phases. The first reconfigured the east-facing facade of Sears. 20,000 square feet of the anchor store was sectioned off and worked into a 39,000 square foot Streetscape addition, which contained five tenant spaces. The first stores opened in late 2015.
The mall lost two of its anchor stores in 2018. Sears pulled the proverbial plug in March, with the Boston Store shutting down in August. The vacant Sears, and its freestanding Auto Center, were razed, leaving the recently-completed Streetscape intact. A new South Wing was built, which contained the following;
* An 8-screen, dine-in motion picture venue.
* WhirlyBall entertainment complex, with a 2-level restaurant, bumper cars game, laser tag and bowling alley.
* 26,400 square feet of retail and restaurant space.
-and-
* Hilton Garden Inn, an adjacent, 170-room hotel (built on the old Sears Auto Center pad).
West Bluemound Road / US 18 and South Moorland Road
Brookfield, Wisconsin
Planning for Greater Milwaukee's first interior mall got underway in 1963, under the auspices of Cleveland's Jacobs, Visconsi & Jacobs firm (the predecessor of today's Richard E. Jacobs Group). They acquired a 141-acre plot, located 9.3 miles west of center city Milwaukee, and hired three architectural firms to design the prospective facility; Cleveland's Peter S. Thomas & Associates, Chicago's Neil & Wennland, and the firm of Baxter, Hadnell, Donnely & Preston, of Cincinnati.
Ground was broken in June 1966. A single-level, fully-enclosed complex of fifty-seven stores and services was built. There were three anchors; a 2-level (189,400 square foot), Milwaukee-based Boston Store, 2-level (201,400 square foot) J.C. Penney and 2-level (224,100 square foot) Sears.
Governor Warren P. Knowles (R) officiated at the grand opening of the mall's first operational tenant, the Boston Store, on August 17, 1967. Thirty-three inline stores were dedicated on October 23rd. Sears followed, on October 25th. J.C. Penney was among the last stores to open, with its formal dedication taking place on January 18, 1968.
BROOKFIELD SQUARE, which encompassed over 1,000,000 leasable square feet, featured a 1-level (48,000 square foot), Milwaukee-based T.A. Chapman, 1-level (71,600 square foot) F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10 and inline stores such as Walgreen Drug, Bresler's 33 Flavors ice cream, House of Nine, Spencer Gifts and a Kohl's Foods supermarket. The General Cinema Corporation Brookfield Square Cinema showed its first feature on November 15, 1967.
Shopping concourses at BROOKFIELD SQUARE were landscaped with 100 thousand dollars worth of tropical plants and trees. The Boston Store Court, on the north end of the complex, featured an upper level terrace restaurant. The Penney's Court, at the center of the center, had a falling glycerine ("Wonderfall") fountain. On the south end of the mallway, a huge, impressionist sculpture was suspended over the Sears Court.
Commercial competitors of BROOKFIELD SQUARE included CAPITOL COURT (1956) {7.3 miles northeast, in Milwaukee}, MAYFAIR CENTER (1959) {3.6 miles northeast, in Wauwatosa} and SOUTHRIDGE MALL (1970) {7.5 miles southeast, in Greendale and Greenfield}.
The first physical expansion of BROOKFIELD SQUARE was completed in September 1992, when the Boston Store was enlarged into a 208,000 square foot operation. The closings of T.A. Chapman (1986), Brookfield Square Cinemas I & II (1989) and F.W. Woolworth (1994) provided spaces for several new inline stores. Woolworth's area was rebuilt into a 15-bay Food Court. Work on the project commenced in June 1995 and was completed in September 1996. At the same time, the mall's interior was given a face lift.
In January 2001, BROOKFIELD SQUARE was sold to Chattanooga-based CBL & Associates Properties. They announced a major renovation in 2003. In the plan, 248,000 square feet would be added in a new Southwest Wing. A 150,000 square foot, Davenport, Iowa-based Von Maur was mentioned as a possible anchor, with twenty-two inline stores, and a 3-level parking deck, included in the project. None of this came to fruition.
However, CBL did embark on a multi-phase remodeling in 2004. A 2-level (35,600 square foot) Barnes & Noble opened April 13, 2005. This was joined by Bravo! Cucina Italiana (in a portion of the old Chapman's spot) in June. Courts and concourses were refurbished and a new Main Entrance built. Moreover, the Food Court was redecorated, with a circular fireplace installed.
Five freestanding structures were built in the periphery of the mall. The first of these, a (22,500 square foot) The Fresh Market Gourmet Grocery, welcomed first shoppers in March 2007. Next came Mitchell's Fish Market and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, which opened in the spring of 2007. A Claim Jumper restaurant served its first meals in June of 2008 (it would eventually morph into Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant).
Two other stores were built in the northwest corner of the site. Stir Crazy Fresh Asian Grill and an Ethan Allen Design Center opened for business in September and December of 2008. The mall renovation was completed with the grand opening of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, in November 2010.
This was built in part of the old Kohl's Foods space and joined the mall's new east-facing Streetscape of upscale restaurants. The revitalized BROOKFIELD SQUARE now encompassed 1,135,400 leasable square feet and housed 113 stores and services.
News of a future competitor surfaced in May 2011, causing CBL & Associates to plan further renovations at BROOKFIELD SQUARE. A lifestyle center, known as THE CORNERS OF BROOKFIELD, was envisaged for a site located 2.5 miles west of the mall (the first phase of THE CORNERS project would open in April 2017).
Modifications at BROOKFIELD SQUARE would be completed in several phases. The first reconfigured the east-facing facade of Sears. 20,000 square feet of the anchor store was sectioned off and worked into a 39,000 square foot Streetscape addition, which contained five tenant spaces. The first stores opened in late 2015.
The mall lost two of its anchor stores in 2018. Sears pulled the proverbial plug in March, with the Boston Store shutting down in August. The vacant Sears, and its freestanding Auto Center, were razed, leaving the recently-completed Streetscape intact. A new South Wing was built, which contained the following;
* An 8-screen, dine-in motion picture venue.
* WhirlyBall entertainment complex, with a 2-level restaurant, bumper cars game, laser tag and bowling alley.
* 26,400 square feet of retail and restaurant space.
-and-
* Hilton Garden Inn, an adjacent, 170-room hotel (built on the old Sears Auto Center pad).
Due to the bankruptcy of Bon Ton Stores, in 2018, the Boston Store building went through foreclosure. Ownership reverted to an affiliate of Bank of America, who sold it to Milwaukee-based Irgens Partners in 2019. In August 2022, a redevelopment plan was announced. The Boston Store will be torn down and replaced by a mixed-use facility that will include office spaces, with possible hospitality and retail components. A multi-level parking garage will also be included.
Sources:
The Milwaukee Journal
http://www.cblproperties.com (CBL & Associates Properties)
http://www.kainc.com (k a Architecture)
http://www.jsonline.com
Sources:
The Milwaukee Journal
http://www.cblproperties.com (CBL & Associates Properties)
http://www.kainc.com (k a Architecture)
http://www.jsonline.com
https://biztimes.com
http://www.allbusiness.com
https://www.bizjournals.com
http://www.elmgroupnow.com
http://www.allbusiness.com
https://www.bizjournals.com
http://www.elmgroupnow.com
"Brookfield Square" article on Wikipedia
Gazebo Court, at EASTFIELD MALL, which included a bird aviary. In all, there were three fountain court areas in the original complex.
Photo from NATCO Natural Color Card Company
EASTFIELD MALL TENANTS 2000:
SEARS (with freestanding Auto Center) / FILENE'S / J.C. PENNEY OUTLET STORE / 60 Minute Photo / Avenue / Babbage's / Batteries Included / Bath & Body Works / Bank Boston ATM / Born & Raised USA / Coffee Cabana / Celluar One / Comfort Footwear / Community Police / Consumer Opinion Center / CVS Drug / Doctor Pecora, Optometrist / Dream Machine / Foot Action USA / Foot Locker / Friendly's Ice Cream / GNC / Have A Ball / Jiffy Lube at Sears Auto Center / Kay-Bee Toys / Kids Rides / Lady Foot Locker / Lenscrafters / Lids / Mall Barber Shop / Manisha Furniture / Master Cuts / McDonald's / Mykonos / Nail Studio / Northern Reflections / Old Navy / PayLess ShoeSource / Radio Shack / Rave / Record Town / Richard's Furniture / Salsa Gourmet Mexican / Showcase Cinemas Eastfield Mall 16 / Sizes Unlimited / Subway / Valley Dental / Vibrations / Villa Pizza / Waldenbooks / Yum Yum Kitchen
The 16-plex at EASTFIELD MALL was acquired by Rave Motion Pictures in January 2010 and was sold to Cinemark Holdings in November 2012.
Photo from http://thecaldorrainbow.blogspot.com
It was all about August! The mall's Forbes & Wallace store was shuttered in August 1976. It re-opened, as a J.C. Penney, in August 1977 and morphed into a J.C. Penney Outlet Store in August 2005. The store closed for good in August of 2011.
Photo from http://thecaldorrainbow.blogspot.com
Originally a Springfield-based Albert Steiger Company, the store seen here operated as a Boston-based Filene's for nearly 12 years. It was rebranded as a Macy's in September 2006. That store, in business for over 9 years, was shuttered in March 2016.
Photo from http://thecaldorrainbow.blogspot.com
A view of the mall's Central Court and fountain.
Photo from Wikipedia / John Phelan
Sears, the final operational EASTFIELD department store, went dark in September 2018. A redevelopment of the shopping hub had been in the planning stages for a number of years. Initially, it was stymied by multiple ownership of the three anchor store structures. The J.C. Penney building was acquired by the mall owner in 2011, with the former Macy's being purchased in 2017.
Graphic from https://www.eastfieldmall.com
Original drawing from the Mountain Development Corporation
Alas, Mountain Development sold the EASTFIELD property in March 2023. An all-new redevelopment plan was drawn up by the new proprietors. The mall was knocked down, leaving only the Sears building (surrounded in blue) standing. An open-air power center, known as SPRINGFIELD CROSSING, is being built.
Original drawing from https://atlanticretail.com / Atlantic Retail
EASTFIELD MALL
Boston Road / US 20 and Fernbank Road
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
The first fully-enclosed shopping center in Western Massachusetts was built by Maryland's James Rouse Company, under the auspices of its Community Research & Development subsidiary. EASTFIELD MALL was developed on a 43.6-acre site, located 5 miles northeast of center city Springfield.
The single-level complex, designed by Grand Rapids' Daverman & Associates, was officially dedicated on April 1, 1968. Two anchor department stores opened on this day; a 2-level (121,000 square foot), Springfield-based Forbes & Wallace and 2-level (201,000 square foot) Sears. Forty-four inline stores also held grand openings.
On August 1, 1968, a 2-level (117,000 square foot), Springfield-based Albert Steiger Company welcomed its first patrons. By this time, the mall contained sixty-four tenant spaces. Some of its charter stores and services were Peerless Company, Chess King, Anderson-Little, Thom McAn Shoes, Mall Barber Shop, Baker's Shoes, a Friendly's Ice Cream, Music City Record Store and Flaming Pit Steakhouse.
The General Cinema Corporation Eastfield Cinema showed its first feature December 25, 1968. With its completion, EASTFIELD MALL encompassed approximately 656,000 leasable square feet.
Retail rivals in the Pioneer Valley included BAYSTATE WEST (1970) {a center city Springfield Urban Renewal project}, FAIRFIELD MALL (1974) {4.8 miles northwest, in Chicopee ["chik-uh-pee"]} and HOLYOKE ["hohl-ee-ohk"] MALL (1979) {7.8 miles northwest, in Holyoke}.
Anchor rebrandings commenced with the shuttering of the mall's Forbes & Wallace store, which transpired on August 7, 1976. The vacant space was taken by J.C. Penney, who held their grand opening on August 10, 1977.
Meanwhile, the mall's movie theater had re-opened, as the Eastfield 1 & 2, in October 1976. The theater was shuttered in late 1985. In January 1986, construction commenced on a 2.5 million dollar renovation. 90,000 square feet of the southeast corner of the mall, including the vacant cinema, was gutted and extended. This area was rebuilt as the 10-bay Market Shed Food Court, which was completed in October 1986.
A second anchor conversion involved the Albert Steiger Company, which closed on March 12, 1994. The EASTFIELD MALL location was one of six Steiger's stores sold to May Department Stores, of St. Louis. The building was remodeled and re-opened, as a Boston-based Filene's, on November 9, 1994.
Clifton, New Jersey's Mountain Development Corporation acquired EASTFIELD MALL in April 1998. Soon after, plans were announced for a revitalization, which was to include the addition of the Showcase Cinemas Eastfield Mall 16. Construction got underway in March 1999 with the megaplex cinema opening for business on August 22 of the same year. The mall now enveloped approximately 824,000 leasable square feet.
The most recent nameplate changes at EASTFIELD MALL involve Filene's, which was "Macy-ated" September 9, 2006, and the Showcase Cinemas, which became the Rave Eastfield 16 in April 2010 and the Cinemark Eastfield Mall 16 in November 2012. The mall's J.C. Penney was demoted to an Outlet Store August 10, 2005 and was shuttered in August 2011.
In early 2015, three major inline stores shut down; Radio Shack, Deb Shops and American Eagle Outfitters. The vacant Penney's was leased as a 1-level Spirit Halloween on an intermittent basis. Macy's pulled the proverbial plug on their EASTFIELD store in April 2016, leaving only Sears to sustain the shopping hub. This 50-year-old store would close for good in late 2018.
Mountain Development had drawn up plans to demall the EASTFIELD complex. Inline store space would be demolished, leaving three anchor structures, and the multiplex cinema, standing. The new EASTFIELD COMMONS would include retail and residential components; these presented in an "Old Timey Downtown" motif.
On March 17, 2020, the Cinemark multiplex shut down as a precaution against the Covid-19 pandemic . In June, it was announced that the theater would not re-open. In March 2023, The past its prime property was sold to a joint venture of Onyx Partners, Limited and Atlantic Retail; both headquartered in Needham, Massachusetts.
The mall closed for good on June 15, 2023. Demolition commenced in August. A 360,000 square foot, open-air shopping complex was being built. The first stores in SPRINGFIELD CROSSING were scheduled to open in the spring of 2025.
Sources:
The Springfield Republican
http://caldorrainbowblogspot.com / Nicholas DiMaio webmaster
http://www.eastfieldmall.com
http://www.therousecompany.com (Website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
Hampden County, Massachusetts Register of Deeds Records Access Site
http://www.eastfieldmall.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
Western Massachusetts Movie Theaters and Drive-Ins / Mike Rivest
www.masslive.com
https://atlanticretail.com
https://onyxpartnersltd.com
MAJOR BOSTON MALLS & SHOPPING CENTERS
1. SHOPPERS' WORLD -1951-1994 / open-air / SHOPPERS WORLD -1995 / open-air / Framingham
2. NORTHSHORE CENTER -1958 / open-air, enclosed 1978 / NORTHSHORE MALL -1994 / Peabody ("pee-BUD-ee")
3. NEW ENGLAND SHOPPING CENTER -1960 / open-air strip complex / SQUARE ONE MALL -1994 / enclosed / Essex County
4. SOUTH SHORE PLAZA -1961 / open-air, enclosed 1976 / Braintree
5. WESTGATE SHOPPERS' PARK -1963 / Massachusetts' first enclosed mall / WESTGATE MALL -1965 / Brockton
6. DEDHAM MALL -1965 / enclosed community-class complex / Dedham
7. NATICK MALL -1966 / enclosed / NATICK -2006 / NATICK COLLECTION -2007 / NATICK MALL -2011 / enclosed & open-air / Natick
8. BAYSIDE MALL 1966-1976 / enclosed inner city specialty complex / BAYSIDE EXPOSITION CENTER -1983 / Boston
9. BURLINGTON MALL -1968 / enclosed / Burlington
10. ROUTE 30 MALL -1971 / enclosed community-class complex / Framingham
11. HANOVER MALL -1971 / enclosed / Hanover
12. WALPOLE MALL -1972 / enclosed community-class complex / Walpole
13. LIBERTY TREE MALL -1972 / enclosed / enclosed & open-air - 1998 / Danvers
14. METHUEN MALL 1973-1999 / enclosed / THE LOOP -2000 / open-air / Methuen
15. MALL AT CHESTNUT HILL -1974 / enclosed / Newton
16. CHELMSFORD MALL -1974 / open-air & enclosed community-class complex / Middlesex County
17. WATERTOWN MALL -1975 / enclosed / Watertown
18. MIDDLESEX MALL -1975 / enclosed & open-air community-class complex / Burlington
19. BILLERICA MALL ("bill-rick-uh") -1975 / open-air & enclosed community-class complex / Middlesex County
20. HARBORLIGHT MALL 1976-2000 / enclosed community-class complex / HARBOURLIGHT MALL -2001 / open-air / Norfolk County
21. WOBURN (woo-burn) MALL -1976 / enclosed community-class complex / Woburn
22. MYSTIC MALL 1978-2000 / enclosed / Chelsea
23. NATICK TOWNE MALL -1979 / enclosed & open-air community-class complex / CLOVERLEAF MARKETPLACE -1982 / CLOVERLEAF SHOPS / open-air complex / Natick
24. FRAMINGHAM MALL - 1979-1999 / enclosed community-class complex / FRAMINGHAM MALL -2000 / open-air / Framingham
25. MEADOW GLEN MALL -1979 / enclosed / Medford
26. ASSEMBLY SQUARE MALL existing building renovated into enclosed mall in 1980 / ASSEMBLY SQUARE MARKETPLACE -2006 / Somerville
27. COPLEY PLACE -1981 / enclosed inner-city specialty mall / Boston
28. ARSENAL MARKETPLACE / MALL existing building renovated into enclosed specialty mall in 1983 / Watertown
29. LAFAYETTE PLACE -1984-1992 / enclosed inner city specialty mall / LAFAYETTE CORPORATE CENTER -1999 / office-retail complex / Boston
30. EMERALD SQUARE MALL -1989 / enclosed / Norfolk County
31. ATRIUM MALL -1989 / ATRIUM CENTER enclosed office & retail complex - 2016 / Newton
32. CAMBRIDGESIDE GALLERIA -1990 / enclosed / Cambridge
33. SOLOMON POND MALL -1996 / enclosed / Marlborough & Worcester County
[Structures indicated in bold italic have been completely demolished. Those in green have full articles on the MALL HALL OF FAME site]
1. SHOPPERS' WORLD -1951-1994 / open-air / SHOPPERS WORLD -1995 / open-air / Framingham
2. NORTHSHORE CENTER -1958 / open-air, enclosed 1978 / NORTHSHORE MALL -1994 / Peabody ("pee-BUD-ee")
3. NEW ENGLAND SHOPPING CENTER -1960 / open-air strip complex / SQUARE ONE MALL -1994 / enclosed / Essex County
4. SOUTH SHORE PLAZA -1961 / open-air, enclosed 1976 / Braintree
5. WESTGATE SHOPPERS' PARK -1963 / Massachusetts' first enclosed mall / WESTGATE MALL -1965 / Brockton
6. DEDHAM MALL -1965 / enclosed community-class complex / Dedham
7. NATICK MALL -1966 / enclosed / NATICK -2006 / NATICK COLLECTION -2007 / NATICK MALL -2011 / enclosed & open-air / Natick
8. BAYSIDE MALL 1966-1976 / enclosed inner city specialty complex / BAYSIDE EXPOSITION CENTER -1983 / Boston
9. BURLINGTON MALL -1968 / enclosed / Burlington
10. ROUTE 30 MALL -1971 / enclosed community-class complex / Framingham
11. HANOVER MALL -1971 / enclosed / Hanover
12. WALPOLE MALL -1972 / enclosed community-class complex / Walpole
13. LIBERTY TREE MALL -1972 / enclosed / enclosed & open-air - 1998 / Danvers
14. METHUEN MALL 1973-1999 / enclosed / THE LOOP -2000 / open-air / Methuen
15. MALL AT CHESTNUT HILL -1974 / enclosed / Newton
16. CHELMSFORD MALL -1974 / open-air & enclosed community-class complex / Middlesex County
17. WATERTOWN MALL -1975 / enclosed / Watertown
18. MIDDLESEX MALL -1975 / enclosed & open-air community-class complex / Burlington
19. BILLERICA MALL ("bill-rick-uh") -1975 / open-air & enclosed community-class complex / Middlesex County
20. HARBORLIGHT MALL 1976-2000 / enclosed community-class complex / HARBOURLIGHT MALL -2001 / open-air / Norfolk County
21. WOBURN (woo-burn) MALL -1976 / enclosed community-class complex / Woburn
22. MYSTIC MALL 1978-2000 / enclosed / Chelsea
23. NATICK TOWNE MALL -1979 / enclosed & open-air community-class complex / CLOVERLEAF MARKETPLACE -1982 / CLOVERLEAF SHOPS / open-air complex / Natick
24. FRAMINGHAM MALL - 1979-1999 / enclosed community-class complex / FRAMINGHAM MALL -2000 / open-air / Framingham
25. MEADOW GLEN MALL -1979 / enclosed / Medford
26. ASSEMBLY SQUARE MALL existing building renovated into enclosed mall in 1980 / ASSEMBLY SQUARE MARKETPLACE -2006 / Somerville
27. COPLEY PLACE -1981 / enclosed inner-city specialty mall / Boston
28. ARSENAL MARKETPLACE / MALL existing building renovated into enclosed specialty mall in 1983 / Watertown
29. LAFAYETTE PLACE -1984-1992 / enclosed inner city specialty mall / LAFAYETTE CORPORATE CENTER -1999 / office-retail complex / Boston
30. EMERALD SQUARE MALL -1989 / enclosed / Norfolk County
31. ATRIUM MALL -1989 / ATRIUM CENTER enclosed office & retail complex - 2016 / Newton
32. CAMBRIDGESIDE GALLERIA -1990 / enclosed / Cambridge
33. SOLOMON POND MALL -1996 / enclosed / Marlborough & Worcester County
[Structures indicated in bold italic have been completely demolished. Those in green have full articles on the MALL HALL OF FAME site]
Omaha's Westroads Center
The heart of WESTROADS was known as Central Park. This lushly landscaped court, underneath an "Astrodome" skylight, was 2-stories high. The mall entrance of the Kilpatrick's department store faced the area.
First came CROSSROADS, then SOUTHROADS. The third of Omaha's "Roads" malls was developed in the city's western environs. WESTROADS CENTER opened, in January 1968, as the largest retail hub in the Corn Husker State. The mall's original logo promoted the complex as America's 8th Largest Shopping Center.
Graphic from Wiebe Enterprises
Drawing from Wiebe Enterprises
Our first WESTROADS plan dates to the earlier part of 1969. At this time, the mall was a 2-level (with basement), tri-anchor shopping center of around 983,400 leasable square feet. There were around eighty stores and services and 45 acres of free parking. One might note that the complex is located in Douglas County, Nebraska. It was annexed into The Big O in May 1969.
J.C. Penney opened a WESTROADS location in August 1967. It was said that the store offered everything from mini-skirts to an electronic diagnosis of automobile engines. Encompassing 184,000 square feet, the Dynamic, New, Complete Penneys included a Coffee Shoppe, Pet Shop, Western Shop and Lawn & Garden Department.
Graphic from the J.C. Penney Company
The shopping concourses at the original mall were named after several European locales and American cities. There was a Westminster Mall, Italia Mall, Alpine Mall and Normandy Mall, to name a few. These were linked by various Lanes, i.e., Maiden, Petticoat, Edelweiss, etcetera. All sixteen are indicated on the diagram above.
Omaha-based Brandeis established a 4-level -80,000 square foot- branch at WESTROADS CENTER. This was installed in an unfinished Northwest Wing. The store opened in October 1972.
Drawing from J.L. Brandeis & Sons
A site plan from 1977 shows the recently-added Brandeis branch. The mall's first anchor nameplate change rebranded the center department store under a Younker-Kilpatricks banner. The mall's Fox theater has also been split into and renamed the Fox Twin. With these -and other- modifications, the mall enclosed 157 stores and services.
A fourth WESTROADS anchor -a branch of Iowa's Von Maur chain- opened for business in August 1995. The 3-level store encompassed 179,100 square feet.
Photo from Dan Olson
WESTROADS MALL TENANTS 2001:
J.C. PENNEY (with Styling Salon, Optical Department and Portrait Studio) / THE JONES STORE / VON MAUR / YOUNKERS (with Hair Salon) / Aerosoles shoes / Afternoon, Incorporated / Afterthought Boutique / American Eagle Outfitters / Amigos / Amy's Jewelers / Art Plus / Ashley Avery's Collectables / August Max Woman ladies' wear / B. Dalton Bookseller / Bank Of Waterloo ATM / Batteries & Bands (kiosk) / Between Friends / Brodkey's Jewelers / Car-Lene Research / Casual Corner ladies' wear / Champs Sports / Claire's Boutique accessories / Dakota Watch Company (kiosk) / David's Briar Shoppe / Easy Spirit / Eyemasters / Famous Footwear / Fan Shop / Finish Line / First Westroads Bank (outparcel) / First Westroads Bank ATM (kiosk) / Foot Locker / Fred Meyer Jewelers / GNC / Gloria Jean's Coffee Bean / Godiva Chocolatier / Goodtimes Cards & Gifts / Gordon's Jewelers / Gymboree children's wear / Hallmark Creations / Helzberg Diamonds / His Choice / Hot Topic apparel / It's A Small World / Journeys shoes / Kay Jewelers / Kay-Bee Toys / Lady Foot Locker / Landmark Luggage & Gifts / Lids hats / Limited Express ladies' wear / Mastercuts / Merle Norman Cosmetics / Munchville / New Realities / Northern Reflections ladies' wear / Old Navy apparel / Omaha Steakshop / Overland Trading Company shoes / Pacific Sunwear apparel / Panera Bread / PayLess ShoeSource / Pearle Vision Center / Petite Sophistocate ladies' wear / Piercing Pagoda (kiosk) / Portaits Now / Pretzel Time / Pro Motorsports / Radio Shack / Regis Hairstylists / Remington Shavers & Knives / Ritz Camera One-Hour Photo / Rogers Jewelers / Romano's Macaroni Grill (outparcel) / Rue 21 ladies' wear / Sam Goody Music / Select Comfort / Software Etcetera / Spencer Gifts / Sports Fantastic / Sportsmen's Authentic / Stride-Rite shoes / Suncoast Pictures video / Sunglass Hut / Sunglass Source / TGI Friday restaurant / The Body Shop cosmetics / The Cookie Factory Bakery / The Disney Store / The Icing accessories / The Pro Image / Things Remembered / Tilt video Arcade / Too, Incorporated ladies' wear / Trade Secret / Tropic Sun Fruit & Nut / U A Nails / Vanity ladies' wear / Vitamin World / Waldenbooks / Warner Brothers Studio Store / Whitehall Company Jewelers / Wilson's The Leather Experts / Wolf Brothers Western Store / Yankee Candle Company / Zales Jewelers
GRAND CAFE FOOD COURT:
1 Potato 2 / Arby's roast beef / Burger King / Cajuin Cafe & Grill / Cinnabon / Great Steak & Fry Company / Imperial Palace Express / Orange Julius - Dairy Queen / Runza Fresh Daily / The Original Cookie Company / Popeye's Express Chicken / Sbarro the Italian Eatery
Originally built as a Galyan's Trading Company, this store opened in August 2003. It was rebranded by Dick's Sporting Goods in October 2004.
Photo from Wikipedia / "JonClee86"
A Bing's-eye view of WESTROADS from around 2006. This was right before the shopping center's north anchor store was reconstructed.
Photo from www.bing.com
The Flagship Commons Food Hall replaced the mall's original culinary complex in late 2015. The new 8-bay facility was installed in existing space on the northwest corner of the shopping center. It featured bistros such as Blatt Beer & Table, Aromas Coffee House, Weirdough Pizza Company and Clever Greens.
Photo from www.ggp.com / General Growth Properties
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